Aches and Praise Three Hundred & Thirty Five

February 8, 2018
 
 
Dear friends, 
 
 

One of the questions that is often posed by atheists and others is “If there is a God, why does He allow evil and suffering?” This week I found a video that features Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Dr. Vince Vitale and the late Dr. Nabeel Qureshi talking about this question. You can view it at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7-gP1gC8gM. I also found a book by the late Dr. Lehman Strauss entitled “In God’s Waiting Room: Learning Through Suffering.” The second chapter of the book has the following title: “God Is in Control” and contains the following poem by A.M. Overton: 

He Maketh No Mistake 
 
My Father’s way may twist and turn,                                                                                    
My heart may throb and ache,                                                                                              
But in my soul I’m glad I know                                                                                      
He maketh no mistake.
 
My cherished plans may go astray,                                                                                  
My hopes may fade away,                                                                                           
But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,                                                                                 
For He doth know the way.
 
Though night be dark and it may seem                                                                            
That day will never break,                                                                                             
I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,                                                                                      
He maketh no mistake.
 
There’s so much now I cannot see,                                                                                              
My eyesight’s far too dim;                                                                                                                
But come what may, I’ll surely trust                                                                                    
And leave it all to Him.
 
For by and by the mist will lift                                                                                             
And plain it all He’ll make;                                                                                     
Through all the way, though dark to me,                                                                          
He made not one mistake. 
 

If you are struggling with doubts about God and the Bible, I urge you to watch the video mentioned above. Dr. Ravi Zacharias trusted in Christ when he was seventeen and had attempted to take his life. To learn more about this man of God, please visit: http://rzim.org/about/ravi-zacharias/. In the video on YouTube, Dr. Zacharias shares many tremendous insights from his study of the Scriptures, from travelling around the world, and from reading many books. 

Dr. Lehman Strauss writes: “Multitudes have suffered and died, and multitudes continue to suffer, without knowing the reason why. The Bible says, ‘There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will, with the temptation, also make the way to escape, that you may be able to bear it’ (1 Corinthians 10:13). This is God’s promise that He will place a limit upon the severity of the trial and that He will give us sufficient strength to bear up under it.” He goes on to examine Psalm 119: “I was greatly impressed and encouraged with David’s personal testimony of the blessings he received from the afflictions he suffered.” May we learn to trust God at all times and to share the truth of His Word with everyone we meet. 

Scripture for the weekend: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” Psalm 119:67 (NKJV)   

Thought for the weekend: “Freedom makes love possible. Love makes pain possible. Pain makes the Saviour possible and the Saviour brings redemption and the redemption brings restoration.” – Dr. Ravi Zacharias
 
 
By His grace,  
 

Steve  


^